Northwestern Univ. football players attempts to unionize

[goalieboy82]

You used "there" instead of "their" twice. Ritually disembowel yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--BP__Z9QRs

[The_Admiral]

Woke up to Frank Deford bringing the heat on Morning Edition today:

http://www.npr.org/2014/04/02/297898279/deford-paying-college-athletes-would-level-the-playing-field

For many decades, baseball had a reserve clause, which essentially tied a baseball player to a franchise in perpetuity. The statute fell into legal jeopardy, and a few wise men amongst the owners said, maybe we ought to toss these players a bone, before we blow the whole scam.

But the owners were arrogant and stood pat, and, soon enough, the reserve clause, kit and caboodle, was outlawed as, essentially, un-American.

So, now, let's send a telegram to the NCAA –– which stands for 19th Century Athletic Aristocracy –– and let's text all college presidents: Now you're in about the same place with regard to the antediluvian concept that college football and basketball players should not be paid.

History, as the baseball owners learned in 1975, is simply not on your side anymore. Sometimes –– the issue of gay marriage seems like a perfect current analogy –– cultural attitudes and the law suddenly shift.

[rams80]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10710069/texas-longhorns-ad-steve-patterson-not-interested-rivalry-texas-aggies

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas athletic director Steve Patterson said Tuesday that he's not looking to schedule a nonconference football matchup against Texas A&M, at least not in the short term, because he's more concerned about expanding the Longhorns' brand with more opportunities for games outside the United States.

Patterson said his priority is on expanding the Longhorns' brand and not on rebooting their longtime rivalry with Texas A&M.

"There's a lot of great tradition with Texas A&M. At some point in time, does it make some business sense, some branding sense to play again? I don't know," Patterson said. "It's not at the top of my list. I'm really more focused on how we grow the footprint of the department."

Dubai is one of the locales being considered.

Yeah, we're all about the student-athletes here.

[The_Admiral]

Giving players the opportunity to rape indentured servants from Bangladesh will broaden their global horizons from their traditional opportunities to rape their classmates.

[IceCap]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10710069/texas-longhorns-ad-steve-patterson-not-interested-rivalry-texas-aggies

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas athletic director Steve Patterson said Tuesday that he's not looking to schedule a nonconference football matchup against Texas A&M, at least not in the short term, because he's more concerned about expanding the Longhorns' brand with more opportunities for games outside the United States.

Patterson said his priority is on expanding the Longhorns' brand and not on rebooting their longtime rivalry with Texas A&M.

"There's a lot of great tradition with Texas A&M. At some point in time, does it make some business sense, some branding sense to play again? I don't know," Patterson said. "It's not at the top of my list. I'm really more focused on how we grow the footprint of the department."

Dubai is one of the locales being considered.

Yeah, we're all about the student-athletes here.

The hell?

[dfwabel]

Woke up to Frank Deford bringing the heat on Morning Edition today:

http://www.npr.org/2014/04/02/297898279/deford-paying-college-athletes-would-level-the-playing-field

For many decades, baseball had a reserve clause, which essentially tied a baseball player to a franchise in perpetuity. The statute fell into legal jeopardy, and a few wise men amongst the owners said, maybe we ought to toss these players a bone, before we blow the whole scam.

But the owners were arrogant and stood pat, and, soon enough, the reserve clause, kit and caboodle, was outlawed as, essentially, un-American.

So, now, let's send a telegram to the NCAA –– which stands for 19th Century Athletic Aristocracy –– and let's text all college presidents: Now you're in about the same place with regard to the antediluvian concept that college football and basketball players should not be paid.

History, as the baseball owners learned in 1975, is simply not on your side anymore. Sometimes –– the issue of gay marriage seems like a perfect current analogy –– cultural attitudes and the law suddenly shift.

On another NPR note, on Monday, "The Diane Rehm Show" did an hour on the topic that included George Mason coach Paul Hewitt and USA Today's Christine Brennan (who is also on the Northwestern Board), and attorney Bruce Fein.

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2014-03-31/debate-over-status-student-athletes-major-colleges-and-universities

[The_Admiral]

Diane Rehm is supposed to be great and all but I can't get past the spasmodic dysphonia.

[dfwabel]

Diane Rehm is supposed to be great and all but I can't get past the spasmodic dysphonia.

The episode was somewhat odd in that it started with a few disclosures. Brennan is on the Northwestern Board and Rehm also had on the President of Mount St. Mary's College, a school where her son is Provost. And then when Paul Hewitt tried to sidestep his salary by saying it was public record, Diane, "since it public record, why don't you just tell us on public radio?"

And with every episode of her show, callers ask questions which are too d@mn long. As if just because they were on hold for 20 minutes, they have the air for the same amount of time.

[See Red]

Something I came across in the aftermath of the NCAA Basketball National Championship game.

Senior point guard Shabazz Napier took a parting shot at the NCAA when he mentioned that while others are making money off of his labor, there are nights he goes to bed starving because he can't afford food. Even more interesting was this quote from a CNN article in response to his comments.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/07/us/ncaa-basketball-finals-shabazz-napier-hungry/index.html

State Rep. Matthew Lesser and other state lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow athletes at the University of Connecticut to unionize, Lesser said. Unlike at Northwestern, a private institution governed by the National Labor Relations Board, Connecticut law governs whether employees at a public institution can unionize.

He says hes going to bed hungry at a time when millions of dollars are being made off of him. Its obscene, Lesser said. This isnt a Connecticut problem. This is an NCAA problem, and I want to make sure were putting pressure on them to treat athletes well.

[dfwabel]

Something I came across in the aftermath of the NCAA Basketball National Championship game.

Senior point guard Shabazz Napier took a parting shot at the NCAA when he mentioned that while others are making money off of his labor, there are nights he goes to bed starving because he can't afford food. Even more interesting was this quote from a CNN article in response to his comments.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/07/us/ncaa-basketball-finals-shabazz-napier-hungry/index.html

State Rep. Matthew Lesser and other state lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow athletes at the University of Connecticut to unionize, Lesser said. Unlike at Northwestern, a private institution governed by the National Labor Relations Board, Connecticut law governs whether employees at a public institution can unionize.

He says hes going to bed hungry at a time when millions of dollars are being made off of him. Its obscene, Lesser said. This isnt a Connecticut problem. This is an NCAA problem, and I want to make sure were putting pressure on them to treat athletes well.

Arian Foster said the same thing but said that some coaches came to them with Taco Bell. Bylaw blog went deeper into that issue since the USC walkon player is suing for being charged for "training table"/meals. Meals must be charged for.

Last month, a proposed bill in the Tennessee legislature failed, which would pay graduating athletes via grants (with no regard to current NCAA bylaws), in committee.

Actually, when I initially saw your post and comments, I thought you were going to link the Alabama revenue number which Deadspin talked about.

If one is anti-Gawker/Deadspin, you can view the Associated Press story posted at abc.com.

Summary: There are collegiate football programs which earn more revenue than NHL and NBA franchises.

[goalieboy82]

at the USAFA (and other military Academy's i think) the cadets are paid (from google) $846 per month (which i believe would be players too). does anyone know why the NCAA lets the military cadets get paid but not the players on teams.

[dfwabel]

at the USAFA (and other military Academy's i think) the cadets are paid (from google) $846 per month (which i believe would be players too). does anyone know why the NCAA lets the military cadets get paid but not the players on teams.

Two biggest reasons are that all cadets are active duty and every cadet/student is paid, so in essence everyone on every team is a "walk-on".

[wonderbread]

at the USAFA (and other military Academy's i think) the cadets are paid (from google) $846 per month (which i believe would be players too). does anyone know why the NCAA lets the military cadets get paid but not the players on teams.

$250 as a freshman

300 as a sophmore

400 as a junior

500 as a senior

It's part of being contracted in the military, its different for them because there is no way around it.

[Needschat]

All athletes are employees. Who are the NCAA trying to fool, but themselves. It's time for them to wake up and smell the coffee.

Since I received a partial-scholarship, I couldn't work during the school year, yet my fellow Computer Science majors could, even if they received full scholarships. Why? Mine was athletic, theirs were academic. And the work-study students were paid minimum wage and considered school employees, covered by workers comp laws.

What makes athletes different, but that asinine and wrong "student-athlete" designation.

[McCall]

I believe John Calipari, of all people, has a pretty good set of changes that wouldn't go so far as to pay players, but still should make things a little easier (though I still believe they have it better than most other students):

• Players should receive stipends of $3,000 to $5,000;

• The NCAA should cover eligible players' insurance premiums;

• Athletes should be able to accept loans up to $50,000 against future earnings;

• If a coach leaves an institution, players should be able to transfer from that program without having to sit out a season;

• Athletes should be allowed one round-trip flight home every year.

Here's a link to the article http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10760355/kentucky-wildcats-coach-john-calipari-likens-ncaa-dying-soviet-union-new-book

Now I'm sure the guaranteed scholarships could also be included. And I think that makes for a pretty fair compensation. I'm not quite sure I agree with letting players transfer with no sit-out just because a coach leaves, but I think there could be some easing up on those rules, like maybe if you're in your final year or two of your scholarship and a coach leaves then maybe yeah. But just letting any player leave could leave a school with little to no players.

[OnWis97]

I believe John Calipari, of all people, has a pretty good set of changes that wouldn't go so far as to pay players, but still should make things a little easier (though I still believe they have it better than most other students):

• Players should receive stipends of $3,000 to $5,000;

• The NCAA should cover eligible players' insurance premiums;

• Athletes should be able to accept loans up to $50,000 against future earnings;

• If a coach leaves an institution, players should be able to transfer from that program without having to sit out a season;

• Athletes should be allowed one round-trip flight home every year.

Here's a link to the article http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10760355/kentucky-wildcats-coach-john-calipari-likens-ncaa-dying-soviet-union-new-book

Now I'm sure the guaranteed scholarships could also be included. And I think that makes for a pretty fair compensation. I'm not quite sure I agree with letting players transfer with no sit-out just because a coach leaves, but I think there could be some easing up on those rules, like maybe if you're in your final year or two of your scholarship and a coach leaves then maybe yeah. But just letting any player leave could leave a school with little to no players.

I agree with these (except maybe the loans one). I am not in the "pay the players camp" (an unpopular opinion nowadays) but a reasonable modest stipend makes sense, in recognition that they cannot get jobs. I like the free flight home as well.

As for the medical stuff, I think this is where the Northwestern players did a great thing...they brought out issues like this that the NCAA really needs to address. I was ignorant; I had no idea that players had to pay for on-the-field medical expenses in some cases. That's awful.

Another thing I would do, in recognition of the time put into being an athlete, is make the scholarships 5 years for four years of play...the 5th year not counting against the team. I know, I know...that's just more "education" for those not interested, but some are and I think they deserve a 5th year to graduate.

[Needschat]

College athletes, EVERY ONE, should receive some kind of stipend, for the simple reason of allowing them to get something to eat when the cafeteria closes.

[dfwabel]

Ago.

College athletes, EVERY ONE, should receive some kind of stipend, for the simple reason of allowing them to get something to eat when the cafeteria closes.

Cafeteria? That model of dining services on a campus is long gone. The failure to monitor the monies on one's dining card is a bigger issue since many send Pell Grant money back home.

Training tables or no, there are much more campus options than a decade ago with extended hours.

[The_Admiral]

Loans against future earnings sounds a little murky, but the rest of that is perfectly acceptable.

[Needschat]

Ago.

College athletes, EVERY ONE, should receive some kind of stipend, for the simple reason of allowing them to get something to eat when the cafeteria closes.

Cafeteria? That model of dining services on a campus is long gone. The failure to monitor the monies on one's dining card is a bigger issue since many send Pell Grant money back home.

Training tables or no, there are much more campus options than a decade ago with extended hours.

Not always. Are female field hockey players allowed to join the football players at their training tables? Can the soccer player join the basketball team?

Also, not every college has extended hours, not every college so many options.